KR100904362B1 - Calm capable of searching agent service through web, agent system using the same and operation method of agent system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention enables a client to access a web-based directory facilitator through a web server, so that the client can quickly and easily determine the cam in which the service is stored, and access the cam to search for the service. The service agent that provides the service can search for the agent service through the web that can provide the base environment to advertise the service provided by the client to the client through the web, the agent system and the agent system using the same. It provides a way of operating.

Description

CALM CAPABLE OF SEARCHING AGENT SERVICE THROUGH WEB, AGENT SYSTEM USING THE SAME AND OPERATION METHOD OF AGENT SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to a cam capable of searching for an agent service through a web and an A using the same. More particularly, the present invention enables a client to access a web-based directory facilitator through a web server, thereby enabling a faster and more convenient service. It is characterized by providing a base environment that makes it possible to search for a service that is easily required.

The web-based Internet environment has made it possible to use various online services through the network. In addition, the computing environment is rapidly changing around the web, and many technologies related to the network are continuously studied.

Here, there is a distributed computing environment based on the network, and the web service based on SOAP has recently been studied through COBRA and Java RMI. You have reached GRID Computing.

In this case, one of the fields actively researched for the distributed computing environment is the agent field.

Research on agents, agent platforms, and mobile agents has already been established after many discussions.

A number of agent platforms have been studied based on the technologies related to the establishment of agent service infrastructure, and recently, researches on the development of agent-based situational awareness services have been actively conducted.

These studies herald the age of agents in which everything is handled by agents and using services provided by agents in the near future.

Here, the agent is software that actively solves the desired task on behalf of the client. In addition, intelligent agents are software that plans and realizes so that multiple agents work together to most efficiently meet the needs of clients.

In this case, the intelligent agent needs a function of grasping the client's taste and performing the same in order to provide a result suitable for the client's taste.

Therefore, a multi-agent system in which agents provide services to clients through mutual cooperation with other agents should be able to provide continuous and consistent service support under any circumstances. Furthermore, cooperation between multi-agent systems must provide high reliability information promptly to meet the needs of clients.

In such an agent technology, it is important for the client to directly search for a desired service and to judge and act on its own through agent-to-agent communication in order to provide an appropriate service of the client's current situation.

If an agent needs help while the agent is performing a task on a multi-agent system, the service is continued by relying on message exchange between agents using Agent Communication Language (ACL). Accordingly, each service agent in a multi-agent system registers its service in a directory facilitator (DF) of a component-based autonomic layered middleware (CALM), which is a message-oriented middleware. Clients can use the directory facilitator to retrieve information about their desired service.

The general cam is a middleware that is provided for the purpose of providing a base environment where a service agent can supply, identify, register, and store a service of an agent generated in an agent platform, and search a stored service by a client.

Therefore, if a client wants to directly access the Cam and search for a desired service, the Cam-based directory facilitator receives an ACL-based message requesting the search through a Message Transport System including an AMS (Agent Management System). To the CALM-based Directory Facilitator. The CA-based directory facilitator parses a message requesting a search, extracts a content message, and performs a search for another agent service in the search request message. When the search is completed, the search result according to the message requesting the search is converted into an ACL-based message and transmitted to the client through the message transport system.

However, when searching for a service through a conventional cam, it was not possible to confirm whether the service requested by the client is stored in the cam. That is, when searching for a service through a conventional cam, the client had to check whether the desired service is stored by accessing a plurality of cams one by one, thereby increasing the search time.

In addition, in order to search for a service, a conventional KAM needs to modify corresponding parameters for a service to be searched in the code, and the general knowledge of a multi-agent system must be required for the client to search for a service provided by a service agent. There was a problem.

In addition, the service agent that provides the service to store the service in the cam does not easily determine the client in which the service provided by the client, so the service agent (Service Agent) is the client to provide the service provided by the client There was a problem that they were not given the opportunity to advertise.

Accordingly, the present invention enables a client to access a CALM-based Directory Facilitator through a web server, so that the client can quickly and easily determine the cam in which the service is stored, and access the cam to search for the service. The service agent that provides the service provides the cam and agent using the same to search for the agent service through the web that can provide a base environment for advertising the service provided by the client to the client through the web. Its purpose is to.

According to the present invention, in the CALM capable of searching for an agent service through the web, a communication module to which a web client connects, a registry in which an agent service is stored, and the web client request from the registry And a web-based directory facilitator having a service search module for searching for the agent service, and a call module for providing the communication module with the agent service searched by the service search module to the web client. It is achieved by CALM characterized in that.

The CALM-based Directory Facilitator further includes a CALM-based Directory Facilitator in which the agent service provided from the service client is stored. The service retrieval module includes the agent service requested by the web client in the registry. If is not present, the agent service requested by the web client is searched among the agent services stored in the wide area base, and the calling module searches the agent service searched in the wide area base by the service search module in the registry. It may be stored and provided to the web client through the communication module.

The Cam-based directory facilitator may include a synchronization module for re-storing the modified or deleted agent service in the registry when the agent service stored in the wide base is modified or deleted.

The content of the service description object of the agent service stored in the registry may include a serial number assigned to the agent service; A name of the agent service; Location information of the agent service for accessing the agent service; A protocol of the agent service; Information about a method of executing the service; A category of the agent service; Information about a provider indicating a provider of the agent service; The service description may be an XML Schema based service description including one or more of the surrounding information in which the agent service is located.

The web-based directory facilitator may further include an authentication module for authenticating the web client when the web client accesses the communication module.

On the other hand, the above object is an agent system capable of searching for an agent service through the web according to the present invention, comprising: a web server to which a web client accesses; A communication module accessed by the web client through the web server, a registry in which an agent service is stored, a service search module searching for the agent service requested by the web client in the registry, and a service search module searched by the service search module Also achieved by an agent system comprising a CALM having a web-based directory facilitator composed of a calling module that provides the agent service to the web client accessing the web server via the communication module. do.

Here, the server-based directory facilitator further comprises a Kam based directory facilitator in which the agent service provided from the service client is stored, and the service search module, when the agent service requested by the web client does not exist in the registry, The agent service requested by the web client is searched among the agent services stored in the widely used base, and the calling module stores the agent service searched by the service searching module at the widely used base in the registry and stores the communication module. It can be provided to the web client through.

The Cam-based directory facilitator may include a synchronization module for re-storing the modified or deleted agent service in the registry when the agent service stored in the wide base is modified or deleted.

The content of the service description object of the agent service stored in the registry may include a serial number assigned to the agent service; A name of the agent service; Location information of the agent service for accessing the agent service; A protocol of the agent service; Information about a method of executing the service; A category of the agent service; Information about a provider indicating a provider of the agent service; The service description may be an XML Schema based service description including one or more of the surrounding information in which the agent service is located.

Here, a plurality of cams are provided, and the web server includes a storage unit for storing a list of services provided based on a service description of the agent service stored in the registry of the plurality of cams; A communication unit enabling communication between the communication module of the web-based directory facilitator and the web client; Display the service list to the web client, allow the web client to access any one of a plurality of cams by the communication unit, and whether the agent system searched by the service search module exists or by the calling module And a control unit for updating the service list stored in the storage unit based on the service description of the agent service provided to the web client.

The web-based directory facilitator may further include an authentication module for authenticating the web client when the web client accesses the communication module through the web server.

On the other hand, an object of the present invention is a method of operating an agent system capable of searching for an agent service through a web, comprising: accessing the web server to the web server; Displaying, by the web server, a service list provided to the web client based on a service description of the agent service; Accessing the web client to the cam in which the agent service requested by the web client is stored; Searching the registry for the agent service requested by the web client by the service search module; And providing the agent service required by the web client stored in the registry by the calling module to the web client through the communication module.

Providing a Kam-based directory facilitator having a widespread base in which the agent service provided from a service client is stored; Searching for the agent service requested by the web client in the database if the agent service requested by the web client does not exist in the registry as a result of the search by the service search module; The calling module may further include storing the agent service, which is searched by the service searching module in the wide base, in the registry, and providing the agent service to the web client through the communication module.

Here, the step of providing a plurality of cams; Storing a service list provided in the web server based on a service description of the agent service stored in the registry of the plurality of cams; Displaying the list of services to the web client connected to the web server; Connecting, by the client, to any one communication module storing the agent service requested by the web client among the cams through the web server; The method may further include updating the service list based on the existence of the agent system searched by the service search module or the description of the agent service provided to the web client by the calling module.

The method may further include performing authentication of the web client when the web client accesses the web server.

The method may further include re-storing the deleted or modified agent service in the registry when the agent service stored in the wide base is modified or deleted.

Accordingly, the present invention allows a client to access a CALM-based Directory Facilitator in which a service required by a web server is stored without having to access a plurality of cams and confirm the existence of a service. It is possible to quickly and easily determine the cam that the service is stored in, and to access the cam to search for the service, thereby reducing the search time.

In addition, the present invention has an excellent effect of accessing a CALM-based Directory Facilitator to search for a service even though the multi-agent platform does not have specialized knowledge.

In addition, the present invention provides a service agent that provides a service to store an agent service in a cam, and gives the client an opportunity to advertise the service provided by the client to the client, thereby recognizing more various kinds of services. It has an excellent effect to make it searchable.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a cam capable of searching for an agent service through the web according to the present invention, an agent service using the same, and an operating method of the agent system will be described in detail.

Prior to the description, the agent service provider searches for the agent service by directly accessing the 'service client', the Kam-based DF to be described later, and searching for the agent service through the 'user client', the web server. The client that defines it is defined as a 'web client'.

1 and 2, an agent system using CAM 100 having a web-based directory facilitator for searching for an agent service according to the present invention is a CALM-based Directory Facilitator, hereinafter, ' Cam-based DF '), a web-based directory facilitator (hereinafter referred to as a' web-based DF ') 120, and a message transport system 130; And a web 100 and a web server 200.

 CALM is an autonomous context-aware community middleware that provides the flexibility and efficiency of an agent platform. The directory facilitator, which is a component of Kam, is an agent that acts as a yellow page, and acts as a repository that stores services provided by agents that are active on the agent platform.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cam-based DF 110 includes a DF adapter 111, a DF function module 114, and a knowledge base 119. .

The DF adapter 111 includes a parser 112 and a converter 113.

The parser 112 is a module for processing an ACL, which is a communication language for agent-to-agent communication, and receives and parses and controls an ACL message transmitted from the message transport system 130 to be described later. (ACL Message Parser) and a Content Message parser for parsing a Content message containing an actual Service Description among the parsed ACL messages.

The converter 113 is composed of a content message composer for assembling the content message again to the service description of the service retrieved by the search 117 which will be described later.

The DF function module 114 is provided for registering, unregistering, modifying, and searching a service in the wide base 119. The DF function module 114 communicates directly with the wide base 119, which is a service repository, and controls the wide base 119.

The register 115a performs a function of registering the DF agent description including the new service description with the wide area base 119.

That is, when an agent creates a description for its services. The register stores the DF agent description in the wide base 119. At this time, the agent's AID (Agent ID) as a key and the service description as a value are stored in the base 119.

The deregister 115a performs a deregistration function of removing the DF agent description stored in the wide base 119 according to the request of the service agent.

The method of unregistering a specific DF agent description uses a method of searching for an AID of an agent and deleting a service description having a corresponding value.

Modify 116 modifies the DF agent description stored in the remote base 119 as required by the service agent.

The service agent creates a DF agent description and a service description template of a type to be modified in order to modify the service description, finds and deletes the DF agent description having the AID of the agent in the database 119, and deletes the DF agent description. The service is modified by newly registering the agent description.

Search 117 may request the DF to find one or more agents that meet the conditions requested by the user client. The agent who wants to find a service creates a service description of the target service to be searched and compares it with the service description of the DF agent description stored in the base 119.

The results of the search are returned as an array of DF agent descriptions. In addition, the service can be searched by selectively specifying properties such as service name, type, protocol, ontology, language, property, owner, and AID.

The synchronization module 118 restores the modified or deregistered agent service to the registry 125 to be described later when the agent service stored in the wide base 119 is modified or deregistered.

Wide base 119 is a repository that stores DF agent description 140 for the services provided by the service agent. The widely used base 119 uses a hash map structure in which a service description is stored corresponding to a key value using an agent identifier (AID) as a key value.

As shown in FIG. 2, the web-based DF 120 includes Registry, AP-to-Web Communication, Service Search, and Service Invocation.

AP-to-Web Communication (hereinafter referred to as "communication module 121") attempts to connect the web client and the application of the web-based DF (120).

The Service Search (hereinafter referred to as "service search module 123") searches for a service requested by the web client in the Registry (hereinafter referred to as "registry 125").

Here, if the agent service required by the web client does not exist in the registry 125, the service search module 123 searches for the agent service by the web client from among the agent services stored in the base 119. The agent service is stored in the registry 125.

This is because the agent service, which has been previously searched, is stored in the registry 125, so that the web service can be searched more easily and quickly.

 Service Invocation (hereinafter referred to as "call module 124") provides the agent service retrieved by the service search module 123 to the web client through the communication module 121.

In addition, the web-based DF 120 may include Authentication (hereinafter referred to as "authentication module 122"). When the web client accesses the communication module 121, the authentication module 122 performs authentication of the web client to ensure continuous connection of the authenticated web client.

Message Transport System (Message Transport System) (130) is a Cam-based DF (110) is a user client that wants to access the Kham 100 to retrieve the agent service directly without going through the service client or web server 200 that provides the service Is a communication system that allows access to

The message transport system 130 includes an agent management system 131 (AMS), an ACL message broker 132, and a JNI module 133. Each configuration is known to those skilled in the art. Detailed description is omitted.

 The web server 200 enables a web client to access the web-based DF 120 on the web using a terminal such as a desktop or a notebook.

Here, a plurality of cabs 100 may be provided, and the agent services stored in each cab 100 may have mutual differences.

Accordingly, the web server 200 stores a list of agent services stored in the registry 125 of the plurality of cams 100 and stores the agent services required by the web client connecting through the web server 200. You can let the web client connect.

Accordingly, the web server 200 includes a communication unit 210, a control unit 220, and a storage unit 230 as shown in FIG. 1.

The communication unit 210 enables the communication module 121 of the web-based DF 120 and the web client to communicate.

The storage unit 230 stores a list of services prepared based on the service description 143 of the agent service stored in the registers 125 of the plurality of cams 100.

When the web client accesses the communication unit 210 of the web server 200, the controller 220 displays a service list stored in the storage unit 230 to the web client.

In this case, when the web client referring to the service list selects any one of the plurality of cams 100, the controller 220 enables the web client to access the selected cam 100 through the communication unit 210.

When the agent service search result performed by the service search module 123 does not exist, the controller 220 updates the service list according to the result when delivering the result to the web client.

In addition, when providing the agent service retrieved to the web client by the calling module 124, there is a possibility that the content of the corresponding agent service is modified at least. Therefore, in order to provide an accurate service list, the controller 220 may update the service list based on the service description of the agent service provided to the web client.

3 shows the structure of the DF agent description of the agent service stored in the wide base 119. The DF agent description 140 is a description of an agent providing a service. The DF agent description 140 includes a description of an agent's identifier AID, a service description object, a protocol used, an ontology used, and a communication language used.

The DF agent description 140 is in the form of a message conforming to the FIPA standard specification, and the AID and the DF agent description 140 are stored in pairs in the wide base 119.

The service description object 141 is a service description object included in the DF agent description 140 and is a description composed of parameters such as service name, service type, protocol used, ontology used, service owner, and attribute. This service description is included in the DF agent description at 140 and stored in the wide base 119.

4 illustrates a service description 143 obtained by converting the content 142 of the service description object 141 included in the DF agent description 140 according to the present invention based on XML Schema.

The service agents configure a description of the agent service provided by the service agent 143 based on XML Schema in the DF agent description 140.

The parameters included in the service description 143 include Num indicating the serial number assigned to the agent service, ServiceName indicating the name of the service, and indicating the location of the agent service for accessing the agent service as an IP address or a port number. Accesslocation, the protocol of the service, Ref = Method to indicate the status when the agent service is invoked, Categor to indicate the category to which the service belongs, Ref = Vender to indicate the provider that provided the service, and the location of the agent service. It consists of parameters such as Ref = LocationInfo which indicates the location in physical or logical space.

Hereinafter, a method of operating an agent system using a cam capable of searching for an agent service through the web according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

When the web client accesses the web server 200 (S1), the control unit 220 of the web server 200 displays the service list stored in the storage unit 230 to the web client (S2).

Here, the web client referring to the service list selects the cam 100 in which the corresponding agent service is stored (S3).

Here, even if the desired agent service does not exist in the service list, for example, the web client may select the cam 100 in which a plurality of similar agent services exist.

The controller 220 of the web server 200 enables the web client to access the communication module 121 of the cam 100 selected by the web client through the communication unit 210 (S4).

Authenticate the web client connected to the communication module 121 of the cam 100 through the authentication module 122 (S5), and the agent service requested by the web client by the service search module 123 in the registry 125 Search (S6).

Here, when a desired agent service is found in the registry 125, the calling module 124 provides an agent service required by the web client stored in the registry 125 to the web client through the communication module 121 (S8). .

The controller 220 of the web server 200 updates the service list based on the service description of the agent service provided to the web client (S9).

On the other hand, when the search result by the service search module 123 in step S7, the agent service required by the web client does not exist in the registry 125, the service search module 123 is widely used in the Cam-based DF (110) The base 119 searches for an agent service required by the web client (S10).

Here, when the agent service is retrieved from the wide database (S11) by the service search module 123 (S11), the calling module 124 stores the agent service in the registry 125 and stores the communication module 121. Provided to the web client (S8). Even in this case, the controller 220 of the web server 200 updates the service list based on the service description of the agent service because the agent service is newly stored in the registry 125 (S9).

On the other hand, after the step S10, even if the agent service required by the Web client is not found in the wide database (119) (S11), the service search module 123 communicates the search result that the agent service does not exist communication module 121 Notify the web client through (S13).

Accordingly, the web client accesses the web-based DF 120 through the web server 200 and sets properties such as name, type, protocol, ontology, language, property, owner, AID, content, etc. of the target agent service to be searched. By designating, it is possible to quickly search by the condition of the cam 100 in which the agent service is stored.

Since each property can be searched by selectively inputting it through a web browser, even if you do not know the detailed specification for inputting a message related to an existing service request, the agent service desired by the web client can be selected by simply selecting the property. You can get a visible effect on.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be modified without departing from the spirit or principles of the invention. . It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

1 is a block diagram of an agent system using a cam capable of searching for an agent service through the web according to the present invention;

2 is a block diagram of a cam capable of searching for an agent service through the web according to the present invention;

3 is a diagram illustrating a structure of a DF agent description of an agent service,

4 is a diagram illustrating an XML Schema-based service description included in a DF agent description according to the present invention.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating an agent system using a cam capable of searching for an agent service through the web according to the present invention.

Claims (16)

In CALM which can search agent service through the web, The communication module connected to a web client, a registry in which an agent service is stored, a service search module searching for the agent service requested by the web client from the registry, and the agent service searched by the service search module; CALM, characterized in that it comprises a Web-based Directory Facilitator having a calling module for providing a module to the web client. The method of claim 1, Further comprising a CALM-based Directory Facilitator having a widely-based base where the agent service provided from a service client that is a provider of an agent service, The service search module If the agent service requested by the web client does not exist in the registry, the agent service requested by the web client is searched among the agent services stored in the wide base, The calling module CALM, characterized in that for storing the agent service retrieved from the widely-based base by the service search module in the registry, and providing to the web client through the communication module. The method of claim 2, The cam based directory facilitator is And a synchronization module for restoring the modified or deleted agent service to the registry when the agent service stored in the widely used base is modified or deleted. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The content of the service description object of the agent service stored in the registry is A serial number assigned to the agent service; A name of the agent service; Location information of the agent service for accessing the agent service; A protocol of the agent service; Information about a method of executing the service; A category of the agent service; Information about a provider indicating a provider of the agent service; CALM, characterized in that the service description based on the extensible generation language schema (XML Schema) including at least one of the surrounding information in which the agent service is located. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The web based directory facilitator When the web client accesses the communication module, CALM further comprises an authentication module for performing the authentication of the web client. In the agent system that can search the agent service through the web, A web server to which the web client connects; A communication module accessed by the web client through the web server, a registry in which an agent service is stored, a service search module searching for the agent service requested by the web client in the registry, and a service search module searched by the service search module And a CA (CALM) having a web-based directory facilitator composed of a calling module for providing the agent service to the web client accessing the web server through the communication module. The method of claim 6, Further comprising a Kam-based directory facilitator having a widely-based base where the agent service provided from a service client that is a provider of an agent service is stored, The service search module If the agent service requested by the web client does not exist in the registry, the agent service requested by the web client is searched among the agent services stored in the wide base, The calling module And store the agent service retrieved from the wide base by the service retrieval module in the registry, and provide the agent service to the web client through the communication module. The method of claim 7, wherein The cam based directory facilitator is And a synchronization module for re-storing the modified or deleted agent service in the registry when the agent service stored in the widely used base is modified or deleted. The method according to claim 6 or 7, The content of the service description object of the agent service stored in the registry is A serial number assigned to the agent service; A name of the agent service; Location information of the agent service for accessing the agent service; A protocol of the agent service; Information about a method of executing the service; A category of the agent service; Information about a provider indicating a provider of the agent service; Agent description, characterized in that the service description based on the extensible generation language schema (XML Schema) including one or more of the surrounding information in which the agent service is located. The method of claim 9, The cam is provided in plurality, The web server A storage unit for storing a service list prepared based on a service description of the agent service stored in the registry of the plurality of cams; A communication unit enabling communication between the communication module of the web-based directory facilitator and the web client; Display the service list to the web client, allow the web client to access any one of a plurality of cams by the communication unit, and whether the agent system searched by the service search module exists or by the calling module And a controller for updating the service list stored in the storage unit based on the service description of the agent service provided to the web client. The method according to claim 6 or 7, The web based directory facilitator And when the web client accesses the communication module through the web server, further comprising an authentication module for authenticating the web client. In the method of operating an agent system capable of searching for an agent service through the web of claim 6, Connecting the web client to the web server; Displaying, by the web server, a service list provided to the web client based on a service description of the agent service; Accessing the web client to the cam in which the agent service requested by the web client is stored; Searching the registry for the agent service requested by the web client by the service search module; And providing the agent service requested by the web client stored in the registry by the calling module to the web client through the communication module. The method of claim 12, Providing a Kam-based directory facilitator having a wide area base in which the agent service provided from a service client that is a provider of an agent service is stored; Searching for the agent service requested by the web client in the database if the agent service requested by the web client does not exist in the registry as a result of the search by the service search module; The calling module further comprises the step of storing the agent service retrieved from the wide area base by the service search module in the registry and providing the web client to the web client through the communication module. Way. The method according to claim 12 or 13, Providing a plurality of cams; Storing a service list provided in the web server based on a service description of the agent service stored in the registry of the plurality of cams; Displaying the list of services to the web client connected to the web server; Connecting, by the client, to any one communication module storing the agent service requested by the web client among the cams through the web server; And updating the service list based on the existence of the agent system searched by the service search module or the description of the agent service provided to the web client by the calling module. How to operate. The method according to claim 12 or 13, And when the web client accesses the web server, performing the authentication of the web client. The method according to claim 12 or 13, And when the agent service stored in the wide base is modified or deleted, re-storing the deleted or modified agent service in the registry.

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